The Official Off-Season Thread, part I of many

[ConstableGeneva]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/brohrbach/status/730756694318448640[/tweet]
Where to use all that money though?

[Afam]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/CSNNE/status/730733057368449028[/tweet]

[Froob]

What do you guys think about Bitchsmack Biyombo? Was disappointed Raps poached him so cheap last off season. Doubt he wants to go back to back up Val.

This is a good point. Could start for some team next season and get paid upwards of 14M per. I thought he's 28+. Only turning 24 apparently. This guy's not done developing. Don't expect much of an offense from him but he could be the rim protector we've been craving for. Could easily replace Sully's rebounding but not so much the BBIQ.

Allegedly 24 anyways(speculation is he could be a year or two older than listed, no big deal really). Plus with no hack a Shaq even more valuable.

[ConstableGeneva]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/GlobeChadFinn/status/730788433212411905[/tweet]IT4 made it to the ECF!

[Slartibartfast]

How's this plan, assuming we land exactly as we are in the lotto:

1. Trade #3 (Vlade gets Bender as his big of the future), #23, Amir, KO and Young for Demarcus Cousins. Sign Pau - an elder statesman with 2 rings and a similar skillset. Could act as both mentor and ejection insurance to DMC.

2. Make the obligatory run at KD, get rejected.

3. Sign D-Wade on a fat 1 year deal.

4. Sign Jared Dudley to a fat 1 year deal with remaining space.

5. Draft Denzel Valentine at 16.

6. Bring back Sully on QO.

IT/Smart/Rozier
Wade/AB/Hunter
Crowder/(Wade)Valentine
Jerebko/Dudley/Sully
Cousins/Pau/Mickey

Cousins becomes the franchise talent. Pau and Wade are championship veteran checks on Cousins, with the double benefit of upgrading team weaknesses - Wade is a big upgrade on ET's role and Pau is a more consistent high post facilitator than Sully or KO or Zeller.

We get much greater balance in shot creation, with Cousins and Wade dramatically easing the scoring burden on IT (who should probably go back to 6th man on this team, but might not be tenable after his All-Star nod). AB and Crowder get to focus on 3 + D.

Dudley duplicates Jerebko - both offering quality 5th man service until we can find a long-term solution at the 4.

Valentine gives us more shooting roleplayer talent to develop along with Hunter.

I think that's a pretty formidable team - one that can give the Cavs a good showing in the playoffs. A big gamble tying so much of the franchise into Cousins, but I think Wade + Pau mitigate the short-term risk and give us a better shot at convincing a more reliable alpha to join up in 2017.

[watsonthedragon]

How's this plan, assuming we land exactly as we are in the lotto:

1. Trade #3 (Vlade gets Bender as his big of the future), #23, Amir, KO and Young for Demarcus Cousins. Sign Pau - an elder statesman with 2 rings and a similar skillset. Could act as both mentor and ejection insurance to DMC.

Doesn't look like Sac is giving up on Boogie yet and if they do it's going to take the 1st or 2nd pick. 3rd won't cut it.

[Slartibartfast]

How's this plan, assuming we land exactly as we are in the lotto:

1. Trade #3 (Vlade gets Bender as his big of the future), #23, Amir, KO and Young for Demarcus Cousins. Sign Pau - an elder statesman with 2 rings and a similar skillset. Could act as both mentor and ejection insurance to DMC.

Doesn't look like Sac is giving up on Boogie yet and if they do it's going to take the 1st or 2nd pick. 3rd won't cut it.

You are probably right, but I can see Vlade having a lot more comfort with Bender as a cornerstone than most NBA GMs. Who knows Balkan prospects better than Vlade?

And if the pick is top 2, I can't see Danny trading it for someone as risky as DMC. Better to see what you've got with Ingram or Simmons.

[Banks2Pierce]

Doesn't look like Sac is giving up on Boogie yet and if they do it's going to take the 1st or 2nd pick. 3rd won't cut it.

3rd may cut it. Wouldn't be surprised if some teams regard Bender on the same level as Ingram. It's 4th where you know it won't hold as much power. I'd be very hesitant to believe any of these stories about player X, Y, Z being off the table because they essentially have to say that to keep the player happy in case they don't like the offers out there. Ainge himself was ready to move a 28 year old Pierce for Chris Paul and I think that draft was not exactly billed as being epic. Teams fall in love with prospects all the time.

[jfs1000d]

How's this plan, assuming we land exactly as we are in the lotto:

1. Trade #3 (Vlade gets Bender as his big of the future), #23, Amir, KO and Young for Demarcus Cousins. Sign Pau - an elder statesman with 2 rings and a similar skillset. Could act as both mentor and ejection insurance to DMC.

Doesn't look like Sac is giving up on Boogie yet and if they do it's going to take the 1st or 2nd pick. 3rd won't cut it.

They will never get more for Cousins now than this offseason. The risks for the Kings is that Cousins isn't as great as his numbers and they keep on being mediocre or, even worse, he clashes with Joger and he absolutely destroys his trade value.

Either way, Cousins' value is as high as it will get. The kings gotta bank that he is better than how he's played and he is a No. 1 franchise player who is untradeable.

[djFan71]

1. Trade for Demarcus Cousins.
3. Sign D-Wade on a fat 1 year deal.

That's the ultimate test of whether we just root for laundry.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Wyc needs to pipe down. How do you negotiate trades when you box yourself in to making a championship roster in one summer?

They could totally blow the value of the pick, even if it's not top 2, by cashing it in for a mediocre player..

Noel is a "rim specialist" with upside, so is Cauley-Stein.. 3 for 8/Trill I could sign up for.

White side's risky at that money, but great if he keeps improving. More likely we trade him in a year or two.

Asik is a buy-low paint protector, so is Roy Hibbert.

Hell, let's trade 3 for Trill/8, draft Skal, say goodbye to Sullinger and maybe Zeller.

[Slartibartfast]

1. Trade for Demarcus Cousins.
3. Sign D-Wade on a fat 1 year deal.

That's the ultimate test of whether we just root for laundry.

This is true.

But I think the only way to make the DMC experience viable is to surround him with productive championship grade veterans of comparable league stature. Pau and Wade fit the bill and fill needs.

[mbsnmisc]

What do you guys think about Bitchsmack Biyombo? Was disappointed Raps poached him so cheap last off season. Doubt he wants to go back to back up Val.

This is a good point. Could start for some team next season and get paid upwards of 14M per. I thought he's 28+. Only turning 24 apparently. This guy's not done developing. Don't expect much of an offense from him but he could be the rim protector we've been craving for. Could easily replace Sully's rebounding but not so much the BBIQ.

Some drunk hillbilly kept on screaming "BISMARK, WE LOVE YOU" at one of the games last year in Charlotte. Have to admit, if you like drunk 300 pounders, she was ripe for the plucking. Sadly, she was immune to my charms.

Bismark is not big by NBA center standards, but he is long, active, mobile and strong. He is an excellent rebounder, plays strong on man defense, is mobile enough to get weakside blocks and by all accounts is a good teammate. Those are the positives

He has "Edward Scissorhands" disease. I believe it is terminal. There is no O in Bismack Biymb. He isn't a terrible foulshooter, but I can't remember him ever shooting outside the paint. Good screener, if he can catch the ball he has plenty of athleticism to finish pick and rolls at the rim.

The Charlotte fans loved him, Steve Clifford not so much.

I know the cap is getting higher than a college freshman at Coachella, but I would think he will make more in the 8,000,000 per year range.

At that price he is interesting as a spot starter/key backup.

[London2Boston]

I would rather get kicked in the balls than have to root for D Wade. Fortunately, I won't have to.

[djFan71]

1. Trade for Demarcus Cousins.
3. Sign D-Wade on a fat 1 year deal.

That's the ultimate test of whether we just root for laundry.

This is true.

But I think the only way to make the DMC experience viable is to surround him with productive championship grade veterans of comparable league stature. Pau and Wade fit the bill and fill needs.

Yeah, I hear ya. If you think DMC.exp is worth it you definitely need some vets. And we could definitely use all of those skillsets. Just, man, DMC with a Wade chaser and Pau the discarded fruit languishing in little puddles on the bar. <shudder>.

[soxfan2003]

How's this plan, assuming we land exactly as we are in the lotto:

1. Trade #3 (Vlade gets Bender as his big of the future), #23, Amir, KO and Young for Demarcus Cousins. Sign Pau - an elder statesman with 2 rings and a similar skillset. Could act as both mentor and ejection insurance to DMC.

2. Make the obligatory run at KD, get rejected.

3. Sign D-Wade on a fat 1 year deal.

4. Sign Jared Dudley to a fat 1 year deal with remaining space.

5. Draft Denzel Valentine at 16.

6. Bring back Sully on QO.

IT/Smart/Rozier
Wade/AB/Hunter
Crowder/(Wade)Valentine
Jerebko/Dudley/Sully
Cousins/Pau/Mickey

Cousins becomes the franchise talent. Pau and Wade are championship veteran checks on Cousins, with the double benefit of upgrading team weaknesses - Wade is a big upgrade on ET's role and Pau is a more consistent high post facilitator than Sully or KO or Zeller.

We get much greater balance in shot creation, with Cousins and Wade dramatically easing the scoring burden on IT (who should probably go back to 6th man on this team, but might not be tenable after his All-Star nod). AB and Crowder get to focus on 3 + D.

Dudley duplicates Jerebko - both offering quality 5th man service until we can find a long-term solution at the 4.

Valentine gives us more shooting roleplayer talent to develop along with Hunter.

I think that's a pretty formidable team - one that can give the Cavs a good showing in the playoffs. A big gamble tying so much of the franchise into Cousins, but I think Wade + Pau mitigate the short-term risk and give us a better shot at convincing a more reliable alpha to join up in 2017.

I'd feel somewhat comfortable enough paying that price for Cousins since I do think that price reflects a modest discount for Cousins that at least partly reflect his issues but I don't think Sacramento is willing to deal him for such a package before the trading deadline unless the #3 pick has more value than I anticipate. I also think at this point, KO/Amir/Young/#23 have minimal value. I just don't want the Celtics to evaluate Cousins as a basketball player and then bid for him like he has no significant issues and is a good teammate like an Avery Bradley.

I also tend to think Wade will stick with the Heat until he retires. I suspect the money difference would have to be huge for him to leave. The only way I see Wade leaving Miami this off-season is he wants tons of money and the Heat won't give it to him since KD is interested in going there and they want the money to sign KD and Whiteside. Nevertheless, you do raise an interesting point. In the absence KD willing to sign with the Celtics, it may not hurt to just offer someone like Wade a huge 1 year contract. It may force the Heat to pay him a little more money. I do have a tough time seeing Wade leaving Miami on a 1 year deal, however.

Gasol may end up taking less money for a winning situation. The Bulls have supposedly hinted he may not be back.

Anyways, I do think such a team here would probably have decent odds of knocking off the Cavs.

[galipeautim]

Cousins will not be traded. Kings move into a new arena next year and need him to sell season tickets. They have the trade deadline next year and next offseason to make a trade if they want to.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Yeah, Biyombo has poor man's Ben Wallace potential, still really really young..

[canman1971]

I don't even want to think about anything until after the lottery. I just have a feeling that Ainge may end up with someone via trade that nobody is talking about. That is just how he rolls. Whether that includes the Nets pick remains to be seen.

[Andrew McCeltic]

I don't even want to think about anything until after the lottery. I just have a feeling that Ainge may end up with someone via trade that nobody is talking about. That is just how he rolls. Whether that includes the Nets pick remains to be seen.

Agreed, I think it'll be something crazy like Crowder/Bradley to GSW for a maxed Barnes.. Or Crowder for Monta Ellis.. Or Favors was another name.